Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Looking Ahead

I know the season is only a quarter of the way through, but it is pretty obvious that the Cowboys have reached an early season crossroads. I don't know what needs to change, but something needs to happen to give the Cowboys their confidence back. A win this week against the Chiefs is not the answer but at least it would be a start. I was looking at the remaining twelve games today to see if I could envision a realistic scenario where the Cowboys still end up in the playoff picture. Here is what I am thinking. I am going to play out the season using two approaches...one will be my optimistic view of things if they can get rolling again. The other one being the same level of play from the team continuing for the rest of the season.

@ Kansas City - This game is a win no matter how I look at it. The Chiefs are flat out terrible. Glass half full - win (3-2) Glass half empty - win (3-2)

ATLANTA - This is not going to be an easy game. Atlanta plays solid fundamental football so the Cowboys have to go out and win the game playing good football. They have to play better to beat a team like Atlanta.Glass half full - win (4-2), the Cowboys come out of the bye week with a renewed intensityGlass half emtpy - loss (3-3), the Cowboys continue losing close games to good teams

SEATTLE - This is the type of game the Cowboys can win even if they continue playing ugly football. But Matt Hasslebeck can beat you if you aren't careful.Glass half full - win (5-2), the Cowboys start to get on a roll with their 3rd win in a rowGlass half empty - win (4-3), the Cowboys eek out an ugly win at home

@ Philadelphia - The Eagles are always a tough matchup regardless of the circumstances. On the road things will not be easy. I don't envision a victory for the Cowboys here...not that it can't be done.Glass half full - loss (5-3), the Eagles take advantage of a few Dallas miscues to win a close gameGlass half empty - loss (4-4), the Eagles destroy the Cowboys as their season begins to collapse

@ Green Bay - It is never easy to go to a place like Green Bay and win. But the Cowboys have always played good football against the Packers.Glass half full - win (6-3), Tony Romo lights up the Packers in Green Bay to make a triumphant return to WisconsinGlass half empty - loss (4-5), the Cowboys battle to the end but lose another 4th quarter lead as the season slips away

WASHINGTON - I don't care if the Redskins are still horrible and have fired their coach by this point, they always play the Cowboys tough. The Cowboys win this game if they have found their mojo.Glass half full - win (7-3), the postseason hopes look bright as the Cowboys have won five of their last six games, the bandwagon fans begin piling back on the wagonGlass half empty - win (5-5), the Cowboys usually split with the Redskins and I don't see that trend changing here

OAKLAND - The Raiders are just flat out horrible. I don't see the Cowboys losing this game unless Romo and Kitna are both injured at this point in the season.Glass half full - win (8-3), the Cowboys are really beginning to play with confidence but the national media still questions whether they can win in DecemberGlass half empty - win (6-5), even with the Cowboys playing mediocre football they are still keeping their fans hanging on to playoff hopes...barely

@ New York Giants - We saw in week two that the Cowboys can play with the Giants. They only win if they are playing good football.Glass half full - win (9-3), revenge is a big motivating factor and the Giants gave the Cowboys motivation by trashing the visitor's locker room and spitting all over Cowboys StadiumGlass half empty - loss (6-6), the Cowboys get steamrolled by a superior team, playoff hopes are on life support

SAN DIEGO - This is a tough matchup but the game can be won. If the Cowboys play a solid game they can beat the ChargersGlass half full - win (10-3), not only are the Cowboys right in the playoff picture, but a division title is still possibleGlass half empty - loss (6-7), yet another heartbreaking loss as the Cowboys let a 4th quarter lead slip away

@ New Orleans - The Saints are a tough matchup for any team. I don't see the Cowboys going into the Superdome and winning this one.Glass half full - loss (10-4), the doubters are predicting another December collapseGlass half empty - loss (6-8), the season is officially down the toilet as the Cowboys get thrashed

@ Washington - I predicted a split in the series based on history. The Cowboys won the first game.Glass half full - loss (10-5), the December swoon is in full gear as the Cowboys lose on some sort of whacky playGlass half empty - loss (6-9), fans are hoping the Cowboys lose to get a higher pick in the draft

PHILADELPHIA - This game all depends on the situation. If the Eagles are already a lock for the playoffs they might give this game away.Glass half full - win (11-5), the Cowboys vindicate themselves by erasing the memory of last season's finale to clinch a playoff birthGlass half empty - win (7-9), the Cowboys beat an Eagles team who rests their starters to keep them fresh for their wildcard playoff game

Now obviously there are so many factors at play with this prediction I am just throwing darts. But the point is that there are a lot of winnable games on the schedule. Those tough games will only be won if the Cowboys clean up their act. There is no way to tell which way things are going this season but I pray something changes to renew my hope in this year's team.

I think they can finish out the rest of the year undefeated if they can just concentrate and play good football again they are the most talented team with the most talented players. But they just don't have the focus and drive to do anything except maintain being sub-par. At this point I want them to get injured and get the back ups in. The guy that came in for sensabaugh hurdled a block, pushed a block, and grabbed the tackle. THATS the type of heart we need on the team.

:). No Do i think they will make the rest of the season.. no. Of course not. But its because they are content with their game play. They don't push anymore. When they get on fire they are unstoppable. But it seems like they just want to get their time in and off the field. If something horrible goes wrong then yea they will react to that and yell on the sidelines, but you just don't see them getting pumped up. If they score..ok.. if they don't... well as long as we get a few first downs.. thats ok.

Where i'm saying they could go undefeated is the fact that they have talented players in every key position. (could list them now but working so won't.) Most of the teams its maybe 3-4 talented players on the team. QB and his best reciever. But our recievers are good enough to be a threat x3. or 4 if you include Witten. :). Thats my point. They have the talent but no want to to improve their game play. Which is going to make for a painful season since they don't have any leaders on the team.

I absolutely LOATHE T.O. But he was a leader. I hate hearing his name even said by the broadcasters EVERY single game. But the truth is. We need a leader like that again.

The hard part is the coach. If our coach was Jeff Fisher or Andy Reid or someone like that, I could see a possibility of this team turning it around. But since the coach is Wade Phillips, he just doesn't seem to have the necessary intestinal fortitude manage it. I hope I'm wrong. It sucks because I really do feel we have the players. But who believes? Do any of the players REALLY believe that they are that good of a team? You just can't see it. Roy Williams has eleven catches in four games??? FOUR GAMES? And some of that's on Tony, sure, but these guys just do not get open and they don't make plays. That's why I want to see Ogletree. Maybe he's fool's gold but in the pre-season he looked like he was willing and able to make catches that weren't a given. I can think of two times off the top of my head that we've watched Roy Williams go up for a catch that would have been a score -- not an easy catch but one he needed to make for the team -- and he got beat by the defensive back. That's the thing about Randy Moss. He goes and gets the ball. If Roy doesn't want to be criticized, if he doesn't want people to question whether he's got what being a number one demands, than he's got to make the tough catches. And give me a break with the TO garbage. I liked him when he was here, but we need a "leader" like that again? Did we win a playoff game when he was here and I missed it? Did we win double digit games two years in a row when my back was turned? We were mediocre then and we're mediocre now. TO hid some deficiencies but really, that's the most you can say for his tenure.